Apparatus for drying lumber



(No Model.) A

A. s. NICHOLS.

APPARATUS FORDRYING LUMBBR.

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Unirse Sterns hermit @rivista AARON S. NIorIoLs, OF'PULLMAN, ILLINOIS.

` APPARATUS Fon DRYlNe LUMBER.

SPCIEIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,4l8, dated March 18, 1884.

Application filed September' 3, 18233. (No model.) i

To ZZ wiz/ont it iii/ftp concern.-

Be it known that I, AARON S. NICHOLS, of

Pullmam in the county of VCook and State of coiled in a horizontal plane, with a flat sheet- A metal zplate upon two sides of the coil, connected at the ends, this coil and plates form-l ing one platen. The lumber has been arranged in layers alternating with these plat-y A ens-#that is to say, a layer of lumber, then acorresponding platen, then another layer of lumber and another platen, und so on, then steam or hot lwater.permitted to lcirculate through the pipe nfthe platen and by its heat to dry the lumber; but because of the close platen the only circulation there can be through the lumberis that which may possibly enter between thepieces of lumber interposed between. the platens, the platens themselves closely covering the surfaces ol' the lumber.

The circulation therefore is very slight. The result of suc-h heating of the lumber without circulation is to produce in the lumber whatisknown as honeycomb-that is, it to a great extent destroys the life and character of `the lumber.

The object of my inventionis to construct the plat-ens so that there will be a :more perfect circulation of 'air through the lumber, and thus produce :the `seasoning or drying to a very great extent by such circulation of air, and whereby the texture, nature, or character of the lumber is not affected; and the invenL tion consists in platens composed of a flat coil of tubing inclosed in an open metal framework, in contradistinction to the closed plate heretofore employed, and as more fully here nafter described.

` shown,

I take tubing of suitable size, substantially such as heretofore used say-about one-haii"- inch steaIn-tubing-and form a flat coil of such tubes. rEhis is done by a series of parallel lengths of tubes connected at opposite ends, the first run with the second, the second withl the third, and so on, making a continuous and circuitous passage through the flat coil of tubing. Upon one side ci' this tubing I place a transverse series of parallel bars, A. A, and corresponding parallel bars, B B, on the opposite side, connecting the series on one side with the series-on the opposite side. These bars are narrow, and half-round in transverse section-that is to say, Ilat upon one side and rounded upon the opposite side, the hat sides being toward each other and arranged so as to leave a space between the several bars, as These bars are also connected to the tubing, so as to form a complete hat platen. The platen and lumber are piled together in alternate layers and the tube ot' each platen connected with the supply of hot water or steam,in the usual manner, a representing the inlet, and b the outlet. The lumber is piled upon the platens so as to leave a space between the different pieces of lumber, and the spaces between the bars of the platen afford free circulation of air between the layers of lumber, it being understood that the lumber runs across the bars, so that the openings between the lumber cross the openings between the bars of the platen. The rounded or oval surface of the bars makes asmall point of bearing between the lumber and the bar and per mits the water to run ofi' from the upper surface of the bar,and not to stand between thebar and the lumber. This slight contact of metal with the lumber prevents discoloration,which must occur where a broad surface of metal is exposed to the wood, and where the water can stand in contact with the wood. By this arrangementl-obtain a perfect circulation of air, which. admits of the free escape of the steam arising from the lumber, and the Contact of the air with the lumber prevents hone 1combing or any injurious eii'ect uponU the ber or character of the lumber, so that lumber dried with my improved platens does not differ from that which is dried by circulation of air only, the heat,under this free circulation,having no deleterious effect upon it.

IOO

I make the strips or bars of which the surface of the platen is composed from galvanized iron, and to unite them at their ends I make an L-shaped bend, d, in each bar of a pair, the one the reverse ofthe other, so as to bring the two bends together, as seen in Fig. 8, the bends forming projecting flanges which comeat together, and through these langes I introduce bolts e, which makes a simple and cheap construction for the bars.

To sustain the bars in their proper relation to each other and to the coil ofpipe, I introduce corrugated bars f at right angles to the bars and running parallel with the tubing, and so as to cross the several bars, and to these transverse bars f, I rivet or otherwise secure the platen bars or strips, which makes airm structure ot' the platen.

In the previous construction of platens, where a iiat plate is used to cover the entire surface of the platens the size of the platen is limited by the size oi' sheet which can be obtained, whereas by the employment of bars I am enabled to make the size of the platen unlimited.

I claiml. The herein-described platen for drying lumber, consisting of a iiat coil of tubing com-v bined with transverse series of bars or strips arranged on opposite sides of said at coil of tubing, the bars of the series arranged to leave anvopening between them, the said coil of tubing constructed for connection with and discharge of a supply of steam or hot water, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a coil oi' tubing W-ith transverse series of strips or bars,arranged on opposite sides of said iiat coil, the bars constructed with their surface next the coils at p and the outside surface rounded, the bars arranged to leave an opening between them, and the said coil constructed for connection with and discharge 'of a supply of steam or hot water, substantially as described.

Y AARON S. NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

E. C. TOURTELOT, E. G. NORTHROP. 

